The keelboat is finally ready, after many infuriating delays by that drunkard builder, and the docks are groaning under the weight of our supplies. I have tried to the best of my abilities to choose materials and equipment to suit every conceivable situation, but I fear we may face challenges I cannot imagine. The men are trading trapper stories and Native American legends about monsters with foot-long claws and mountains made of ice. They are very young and eager, and unmarried, thank goodness. I have enough responsibility on my shoulders without worrying about widows and children. The president has put his complete trust in me and I intend to make him proud. Someday this Northwest Territory may be as thick with farms and towns and families as the burgeoning East. I hope that our expedition will make this new America possible
— Meriwether Lewis
